Happy New Year

2022.01.01. 0:00 --- The clock just ticks midnight, the start of a New Year.

Li Chenxi takes out her new journal and writes her New Year's resolution.

It has been her goal ever since she started her college life, but for the past three years, it didn't seem to come true.

"Why do you look so happy?" her cousin, Li Nanxi came up to her. He just finished his sketch and came down to see what the family is doing and saw her smiling as if she got possessed.

"Nothing!" she quickly closed her journal and looks at him, "do you want something to eat?"

Li Chenxi loves to change the subject when she doesn't want that conversation to keep going. And Li Nanxi could see it right through her. "Where's everyone?" he asks and noticed their parents aren't home.

"They all went to see the fireworks." Li Chenxi said and starts drinking her hot chocolate.

"Why didn't you go?" he asks and sat down next to her on the couch while drinking his coffee.

"You have to ask? I'm not going to be the third or fourth wheeler."

Li Nanxi almost choked drinking his coffee. He almost forgot that his parents and Chenxi parents are those lovey-dovey couples. Ever since they were kids, they experienced it enough.

Li Nanxi's parents met when they were in college. Her dad majored in history and her mom majored in math. She always wonders how they even met. One day she couldn't help but ask her dad. And her dad said "It was during my second year of college and my friend made me join this debate. That's where I met your mom. You could say it was love at first sight." Ever since then, her dad would make excuses to go see her mom, and slowly they started dating. Even after marrying for twenty years, they're still like a newlywed couple that can't get enough of each other.

This is the same for Li Nanxi's parents too. Li Nanxi's parents have known each other since they were kids. Her uncle was a retired motorcycle racer and her aunt is a doctor.

Li Nanxi puts his cup down, "want to go for a ride?" he asks.

Both Li Nanxi and Li Chenxi know how to ride the motorcycle from Li Ze, Li Chenxi's uncle.

"Yes! Let me change," Li Chenxi quickly puts down her cup and runs upstairs to her room.

Li Nanxi finished his last sip of coffee and went next door to his house. Both of their houses are next to each other so it was convenient to visit each other during holidays or for dinners.

Li Chenxi quickly changed into her black jeans and black leather jacket. She wears her boots and grabs her helmet and heads out to find her brother.

The motorcycles are in Li Nanxi's house garage and they quickly geared up.

"Want to make any bets?" Li Nanxi asks her while putting on the helmet for Li Chenxi as she was wearing her gloves.

"What bet?" she asks.

Every time they go for a ride, Li Nanxi always asks her this and she would always loses.

"Let's bet on who gets to the mountain top first. Whoever loses will do the other one's chores for one week?"

Li Chenxi gives him a look. Both of their families always have dinner together every day and Li Nanxi's parents would always make him clean the dishes after. But Li Chenxi always gets away without having to do it.

"You think I'm stupid? If you lose, you don't get to do it too!"

Li Nanxi gives her a surprised look. "I didn't know my little sister became this smart." He said while softly hitting her helmet.

"I'm always smart, alright!" She pushes his hand away. "If you lose, you have to bring me to Jackson Wang's concert. And you pay for the ticket!"

"Bet!" Both of them got on their motorcycle and started the engine.

"See you at the top," Li Chenxi said and started off before he said go.

Li Chenxi didn't waste any time and took the short route to the mountain top where her parents were watching the fireworks. In less than 20 minutes, she arrived at the top and didn't see Li Nanxi anywhere. This is the first time in so long that she won against Li Nanxi. The other time she beat him because Li Nanxi's bike got stopped by the traffic police for a check.

As she got excited that she won and was about to celebrate, Li Nanxi popped out of nowhere and was like "don't forget about the dishes for this week!" He said with a smirk and started his motorcycle and left.

"LI NANXI!" She screams his name and stomps her feet.

"Chenxi, what happened?" Her mom found her and saw her on the motorcycle.

"Lost your bet to Nanxi again?" She asks with a smile.

The whole family then came to find them and knew what happened.

"Chenxi, don't worry. Later we will find a time and I'll teach you a new skill to win over that boy," her uncle said to her.

"Promise?" She asks him with doubts. He said that to her like two weeks ago but then he had so much work that he forgot.

His uncle scratched his head, "this time I promised."

Chenxi didn't have high hopes and just nodded. "Are you guys still staying here?" She asks. It's already 1 am and it's quite late already.

"We're about to leave and that's when we heard you guys."

Chenxi nodded. "I'll drive back then." Of course, she wouldn't want to stay with them. This is not going to happen.

"Drive safely and don't go too fast!" Her dad said.

Chenxi waves her hand and drives off.

Chenxi's dad doesn't want her daughter to ride the motorcycle because to him it's too dangerous. But Chenxi likes it and his wife also agreed, so he doesn't have a say. He just looks at his brother and starts walking to their car with his wife.

Li Ze shivers inside as he notices his brother's death glare.

"What did I do wrong again?" As he asks his wife,

His wife gave him a look and started walking.

'Why is everyone walking away? He just said he'll teach Chenxi a new trick.' He wonders to himself like nothing is wrong with that.

Chenxi drove to the night market. Today's New Year's night and not many food places are open. But her all-time deep-fried skewers stand is still open.

Chenxi got off her bike and took off her helmet.

"Auntie Zhang, Happy New Years!" She greets the boss and sits down at the small table. "As usual?" Auntie Zhang asks with a smile. Chenxi nods and ties up her hair.

Across two tables away, there were a group of guys also eating. But they stopped the moment Chenxi came. They've never seen a girl riding a motorcycle this cool before.

Chenxi noticed their staring but didn't say anything. Her food quickly came and she starts eating. Her parents don't allow her to street food, and she would always eat them sneakily. Even if they later find out, they can't do much about it besides saying a few words.

She finished her last skewers and drank her water.

"Your skewers are as tasty as before! I'll come next time," she waves at Auntie Zhang.

Chenxi picks up her helmet and quickly wears it. As she hops onto her motorcycle and wears her gloves, one of the guys came up to her.

"Hey," he shyly said.

Chenxi glances at him but continues wearing her glove.

The guy shyly scratches his head and clears his throat. "My friends and I saw how you rode your motorcycle. We are amazed by your skills and want to know if we can go for a ride one day?"

Chenxi fastens her gloves and looks up at him and his friends. "Sorry, I don't ride with strangers." She rejects him and rode away.

His group of friends came up to him and pats him. "Told you. Beautiful girls will always give some attitudes."